Molti folding hanger bar

ABSTRACT

A system and method for providing folding optionally extendable bar which enables a user to hang sheeted objects on in an efficient and compressed manner, it also allows the user fast and convenient access to hanged objects as soon as the bar is fully opened. The present invention can be used in conjunction with a frame to provide a closet to enable a user practical, efficient and very convenient way of storing hangable clothing in a very compact manner. The closet, which can be attached to a wall, used as a stand-alone unit or built-in into a wall, can reach its fully extended form, to provide practical and convenient access to the clothing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/270,218, Filed on 15Oct. 2002, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a folding bar, specifically to a newand improved system, which enables a user to hang sheeted objects on. Inan efficient and compressed manner, it also allows the user fast andconvenient access to hanged objects as soon as the bar is fully opened.

2. Description of the Related Art

Folding bars for hangable objects always was in big demand in householdand public facilities in order to save a storage space. Such barsusually require manual separation of the objects when the bar is openand then it requires packing these objects back before folding the bar.

Thereafter, inventors created several types of folding bars for hangableobjects, like: clothing, unframed pictures, architectural drawings andmany more, to address this problem in a most practical and efficientway. None of the current inventions describe successfully folding barswith ability to hold heavy hanged objects and which doesn't requiremanual spreading of the hanged object to pick the wanted one.

Lee in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,323 B1 (2002) describing a multiple variationof folding bars in his storage systems. All of them have the followingdisadvantage:

-   -   (a) In Lee's invention bar rail requires assembly prior to        spreading hanged objects apart when the storage is open.    -   (b) Manual motion is required to spread the clothing apart in        order to choose a wanted one after the storage is open, and the        user required compressing them together before closing the door        of the storage. In the current invention clothing or other        hangable items are ready and conveniently can be chosen as soon        as storage is open.    -   (c) Lee's invention prevents from the user to hang heavy        clothing like jackets, coats and the like because hanging bar        made out of plurality of horizontally folding sections which by        design cannot support heavy weight, see FIG. 7e in Lee's        invention.    -   (d) Slidable bars as they are shown in FIGS. 12, 14, and 15 and        telescopic bar in FIG. 13 in Lee's invention also have the        disadvantages of inability to support heavy weight clothing as        well as hanger's hook can interfere with the sliding motion and        it requires the user to spread the objects apart in order to see        and to choose the wanted object.

For the reasons mentioned above my inventions is an improvement of Lee'sinvention because it saves exterior width and interior space whichallows to store more clothing, the clothing can be chosen faster becauseas soon as the door of the storage is opened the clothing alreadyconveniently spread apart and the user can see immediately all thehanged objects. My invention allows to hold heavy object, like jackets,coats and the like, because of the vertical bar design and the lockbetween bar's sections, bars in Lee's invention are opened in horizontalmanner with very small overlap between the sections which can't holdheavy objects.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present inventionare:

-   -   (a) Ability to hold heavy hanged objects because its vertical        designs;    -   (b) Easy and fast opening because of the pressure of the weight        of hanged objects;    -   (c) Doesn't require any rail bar assembly;    -   (d) Hanged objects already spread apart as soon as the bar is        fully unfolded;    -   (e) Ability to extend the bar by adding additional sections;

Vertically folding bar in the current invention can be built-into astorage space to provide the following advantages:

-   -   (a) To provide over 70% of space saving, storage unit, to store        hangable clothing in a very compact and efficient manner;    -   (b) To minimize to only a few inches, and sometimes to eliminate        completely, the floor space that this invention will take, its        thickness is about the thickness of the wall therefore it can be        built-in into the wall so in this case it will not take any        floor space at all;    -   (c) To provide additional storage in a hall way, walking closet,        garage, office, and like    -   (d) No maintenance required    -   (e) To provide easy and simple installation by only screwing 4        screws to the wall;    -   (f) To provide neat and decorative furniture piece that may        include mirror or picture on its front side as well;

Further objects and advantages are to provide at least 70% space savingstorage unit which can be easily installed and used efficiently andconveniently to store, primarily but not necessarily, hangable clothing.This decorative storage unit, which will be used in household andcommercial facilities, is simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture.The storage can be attached to a wall or built-in into a wall, whichwill not take any floor spacing.

Therefore, the present invention provides efficient, effective and verypractical usage of the vertically folding bar for hanged sheeted objectsto be used in a storage places. Still farther objects and advantages ofthis invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawingand ensuing description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly and in general terms, the present invention provides a new andimproved system and method of folding bar which by its vertical designprovide an ability to hold heavy hanged objects which already spreadapart as soon as the bar is fully unfolded. The bar can be extended torequired length by adding additional vertically folding sections.

The present creation can be used in a face extendable closet that can beattached to the wall, used as stand-alone unit or built-in into a wall,for storing hanged sheeted objects. The closet is fully extended,horizontally, upon opening to provide convenient access to storeclothing, and then, upon closing it, it will be horizontally folded backin providing the user over 70% of space saving.

The above objects and advantages of the present invention, as well asothers, are described in greater detail in the following description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing of illustrativeembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the folding bar in its closed position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the folding bar in its fully unfoldedposition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the folding closet with a folding bar infully open position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the folding closet with a bar inclosed position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional top view of the folding bar in fully unfoldedposition used in the attached to the wall closet.

FIG. 6 is a sectional top view presenting folding bar in the storagebuild-in into a wall that shows clearly a frame to fit inside the wall.With molding around to caver the Dry wall edge.

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the extension folding bar in closedposition and supporting leg attached to wheel.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the wall closed space with extension foldingbar.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the extended addition to the storagespace frame which is used when folding bar is extended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to an improved system and method whichenables a user to hang sheeted objects on in an efficient and compressedmanner, it also allows the user fast and convenient access to hangedobjects as soon as the bar is fully opened. By its vertical design itallows the user to hang heavy objects. The present invention can be usedin conjunction with a frame to provide a storage closet to enable a userto store changeable objects like clothing, blue prints sheets, postersheets and the like in horizontally extendable closet in a very compactand efficient way for space saving purposes. The closet can be attachedto a wall, used as a stand-alone unit or built-in into a wall, inhousehold or public facilities. The closet can be fully extended, toprovide easy and convenient access to clothing, by pulling the frontdoor away from the frame, which is in fixed position, and by doing thatunfolding internal bar, that holds the hangers, to its horizontal andlocked position. The preferred embodiments of the improved system andmethod are fully and detailed illustrated and described in the followingparagraphs.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-2, in a preferred embodiment in accordancewith the present invention the system 100 includes multiple sections 22folding bar with built-in notches 24 for hangers support. Folding barsupport 21 is attached, by pins 23, to folding bar 22 and located atbars the pivot points. Folding bar pivots 26 allows attaching andsupporting folding bars 22 through holes 25.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, presenting storage frame 10, for providingshelter for hanged clothing or like. The frame 10 includes horizontalsupport straps 12, with an altitudinal through-holes in it, it alsoincludes folding bar 22 joining the frame 10 to the front door 20through the bar pivots 26. Folding bar support 21 is attached to foldingbar 22 located at the pivot point. The frame further includes pluralityof safety chains 14 or the like connecting the frame 10 and the frontdoor 20 on both their sides.

Folding bar 22 has notches 24 for providing hangers support. Front door20 includes plurality of clip locks 16 locate on both sides of it, frontdoor 20 further includes plurality of wheels 18 attached to its bottomside.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the built-in frame 40, with an altitudinalthrough-hole 36 on each side of it, includes folding bar 22, which hasnotches 24, built-in frame 40 has horizontal support straps 42 tosupport the folding bar 22, it also has chains 14 or the like connectedto the front door 20. Frame 40 is attached with screws to stud 32 whileit's touching the back of the dry wall 30. Decorative mirror or panel 38can be attached as an option to the front door 20. Decorative molding 34is located around built-in frame 40 to cover dry wall edges and tosupport front door 20 when the closet is closed, and it increases thedepth of the closet as well.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the system 110 provides optional extension tofolding bar including pair of folding bar sections 22, supporting leg 44attached to wheel 46.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, presents system 110 installed in the closet.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the system 120 provides optional frameextension 50, required when the folding bar is extended, includes tracks52, attached to the interior top side, and trails 54 which are locatedinside tracks 52 in a slidable manner. Trails 54 are attached to themain frame on the top by screws through holes 56.

In a method for the use of the preferred embodiment in accordance withthe present invention the system 100 enables the user to hang sheetedobjects a most efficient manner while it's attached to the horizontallyextended closet. Notches 24 hold and support the hangers at thepredefined space so it will be spread apart when the folding bar isfully opened, so user can easily accessed wanted object, they also keepobjects nicely packed when the folding bar is closed.

One of the embodiments can be provided when folding bar is in a built-incloset best shown in FIG. 6. Additional folding sections, best shown inFIG. 7, can be easily added to folding bar to increase the storage spacewhich comes together with extended frame as illustrated in FIG. 9 thatinclude tracks 52 and trails 54 attached to the main frame on the top bycrews through holes 56. Extended frame can be slide on top of mainframe, using tracks 52 and trails 54, to allow better access to hangedobjects. Decorative mirror or panel 38 can be added as an option tocloset front door 20, best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In another embodimentthe closet cab is high enough to hang dresses or to double folding barsfor short clothing.

In accordance with the present invention, the particular embodiments setforth above for the system are capable of providing folding optionallyextendable bar which enables a user to hang sheeted objects on in anefficient and compressed manner, it also allows the user fast andconvenient access to hanged objects as soon as the bar is fully opened.However, other forms of that system may be utilized with the presentinvention without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention. Based on the present disclosure, other constructions andapplications are known to one skilled in the art.

In view of the above, it is apparent that the system and method of thepreferred embodiments of the present invention enhance practicality andeffectiveness of enabling a user to store hangable sheeted objects in amost compact and space saving way.

While the present invention has been described in connection with thespecific embodiments identified herein, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that many alternatives, modifications and variationsare possible in light of the above description. Accordingly, theinvention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modificationsand variations as may fall within the spirit and scope of the inventiondisclosed herein.

1. A vertically folding bar for sheeted objects to be hanged on in avery compressed and efficient manner, said device comprising: a. aplurality of built-in notches; b. a folding bar support located at barspivot points; c. a pair of hinges on both ends of said folding bar; d. afolding bar support located around the pivot point of said folding bar;2. The device of claim 1 wherein said built-in notches are designed insuch a shape so it can support the hangers in opened and closed positionand the hanged objects will always stay in vertical position.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein said built-in notches are designed in apredefined distance so hanged objects will be spread apart as soon assaid folding bar will be fully opened.
 4. An extending storage device,for hangable units, with a folding bar connecting internally bothinterior parallel sides of said device, said folding bar is providingsupport for said hangable units, said device comprising: a. a memberproviding the frame of said device; b. a member providinghorizontally-extending decorative front door of said device; c. a memberproviding a folding bar, to support said hangable units, connectedinternally to both said frame and said front door; d. means forattaching said frame to a wall forcing said frame to be in fixed andsteady position; e. means for pivotally attaching said folding bar tointernal sides of said frame and said front door, providing limit ofmaximum opening of said device when said folding bar is in its fullyhorizontal and locked position; f. means to keep said front door stableand parallel to said frame in the fully extended form of said device;and g. means to keep said front door tightly attached to said body inthe fully closed form of frame device;
 5. The device of claim 4 whereinsaid hangable units are, primarily but not necessarily, hangableclothing or other hangable particles like: blue prints sheets or postersheets.
 6. The device of claim 4 wherein said frame has a wide moldingaround it to provide a shelter for said hangable clothing when saiddevice is in its fully closed form.
 7. The device of claim 4 whereinsaid horizontally-extending decorative front door has a matching, tosaid frame, shape with a molding around it, to be attached perfectly tosaid frame when said device is in its fully closed form.
 8. The deviceof claim 4 wherein said horizontally-extending decorative front doorfurther comprising a plurality of wheels connected to the bottom of saidfront door to enable the user easy and efficient opening of said device,especially when said device is fully loaded with said hangable clothing.9. The device of claim 4 wherein said horizontally-extending decorativefront door has mirror, picture or decorative design, on the front sideof it, to provide more practical and decorative look of said device andto take full advantage of said device as a furniture member as well. 10.The device of claim 4 wherein said means for attaching said frame to awall has a plurality of horizontal support straps.
 11. The device ofclaim 10 wherein said horizontal support straps have plurality ofaltitudinal through-holes in every one of them.
 12. The device of claim4 wherein said means to keep said front door stable and parallel to saidframe are plurality of decorative chains or rope.
 13. The device ofclaim 12 wherein said chains are attached to the sides of said frame andsaid front door to keep said front door parallel to said frame when saiddevice is in its full extended form so said chains in their fullystretched horizontal position.
 14. The device of claim 4 wherein saidframe is a wall built-in frame which has decorative molding around it.15. An extension folding bar to provide more storage space when it isoptionally added to extending storage device, said device comprising: a.a pair of folding bar sections; b. a support leg attached to the wheel;16. The device of claim 15 wherein said extension folding bar is usedtogether with extended frame which is attached to the main frame. 17.The device of claim 16 wherein said extended frame has tracks attachedto its interior top and trails located inside said tracks in a slidablemanner so said extended frame can slide on top of main frame to providebetter access to hanged objects.